Laundry treatment machine

ABSTRACT

For a laundry treatment machine, a diaphragm includes an emptying orifice free of obstruction for liquid. The diaphragm connects a housing orifice of a front-loading laundry treatment machine and a filling orifice into a laundry drum to one another at the feed orifice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a laundry treatment machine, in particular, a washing machine with spin mode and a spin-drier.

[0003] Such a laundry treatment machine is disclosed in German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 37 38 388 A1 The machine has a concertina diaphragm with a loop-shaped fold and extends between a housing orifice and a tub orifice as a feed duct to a laundry drum disposed in the tub. At the lowest inner circumferential point of a fastening portion that forms a side wall of a diaphragm fold, one or more emptying orifices for emptying suds or lye out of the diaphragm fold are formed axially parallel to the diaphragm center axis. Such a configuration is intended to allow an essentially complete drainage of the diaphragm into the tub.

[0004] European Patent EP 0 752 493 B1 discloses a front-loading washing machine with a concertina diaphragm, forming a feed duct for a laundry drum, between a housing orifice and a tub orifice. The laundry drum casing is provided on its inner circumference with blades or the like that convey suds out of the laundry drum into the diaphragm. In a bottom wall of the diaphragm fold is formed a vertical return orifice, to which is connected a suds return hose that extends away downward and the lower end of which is connected to the lower end of a sump that is connected at the lowest point of the tub through an outflow hose to a tub outflow orifice located above the sump. A suds pump-away hose with a suds pump is connected to the outflow hose between the sump and the tub outflow orifice. A seat for a lint filter is formed in the return orifice of the diaphragm. The lint filter is located higher than the suds level in the tub, so that suds thrown onto the lint filter by the laundry drum can, by gravity, flow through the filter and then through the sump back into the tub. During the washing operation, a constant recirculation of the suds through the lint filter thereby takes place, with the lint being filtered out. Such a process is intended to prevent the situation where it is necessary, on the suction side of the suds pump of the pump-away line, to have a lint screen that, being in the lower region of the washing machine, is accessible only with difficulty for cleaning. Furthermore, another problem of prior art washing machines is to be solved thereby, the problem being that residual suds often remains in the pump-away circuit and, when the filter housing is opened, runs out of the washing machine onto the floor on which the washing machine is installed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention deals with a subject not recognized in the prior art and also not solved by the prior art. The rotation of the laundry drum gives rise, in the tub and in the diaphragm, to vibrations transversely to the axial rotation and, therefore, also transversely to the longitudinal axis of the diaphragm. These vibrations are particularly pronounced (high frequencies, accelerations, and vibration amplitudes) at spinning rotational speeds for drying the laundry in the laundry drum. As a result of these vibrations, some of the water trapped in the diaphragm is thrown out of the diaphragm into the laundry drum and, consequently, back on to the laundry in the laundry drum before it can flow out through the emptying orifice or outflow orifice formed in the diaphragm. Such an effect is also referred to as the “fountain effect.” During the spinning of the laundry, a result of such rewetting is that the operation of drying the laundry lasts longer and, therefore, more energy is spent in the operation.

[0006] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a laundry treatment machine that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and that reduces the drying operation and the energy consumption in the spinning of the laundry in order to dry the laundry. With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a. laundry treatment machine, including a tub having a front tub orifice, a housing having a front housing orifice, a laundry drum having a drum orifice and a horizontal axis of rotation, the laundry drum rotatably disposed in the tub about the horizontal axis of rotation, and a diaphragm having a diaphragm bottom with a lowest point, the diaphragm connecting the housing orifice to the tub orifice and forming a feed duct to the drum orifice, the diaphragm having a substantially vertical emptying orifice in the diaphragm bottom at the lowest point between the tub orifice and the housing orifice, the emptying orifice being free of obstruction for liquid for emptying the diaphragm.

[0007] The invention contains two essential solution ideas:

[0008] 1. Draining the liquid (suds, clear rinsing liquid, water) from the diaphragm in the radial direction and, therefore, in the vibration direction, so that, in the region of the emptying orifice formed in the diaphragm, these vibrations cannot cause the liquid to be thrown out of the diaphragm back into the laundry drum; and

[0009] 2. “Shaking off” the liquid in the diaphragm through its emptying orifice by the vibrations of the diaphragm.

[0010] In accordance with another feature of the invention, the diaphragm is a concertina diaphragm that has at least one outwardly curved diaphragm fold, and the emptying orifice is formed in the fold bottom in a bottom wall of the diaphragm fold. Such a configuration ensures, in the case of concertina diaphragms, that the fountain effect is also avoided in the diaphragm fold.

[0011] In accordance with a further feature of the invention, there is provided an emptying line connected to the emptying orifice and extending away downward from the emptying orifice. Because the emptying line does not extend away transversely, but downward, a more rapid outflow of water from the emptying orifice is achieved in the vibration direction of the diaphragm.

[0012] In accordance with added features of the invention, the emptying line may have an outlet issuing into the tub below the drum orifice, an outlet issuing into the tub below the laundry drum, and/or an outlet issuing into an outflow line of the tub below the tub. A reliable discharge of the liquid is thereby achieved along a short line path, the liquid automatically being intermixed with the liquid that is thrown off from the laundry drum in the tub.

[0013] By virtue of the invention, an essentially vertical discharge of the liquid (suds, water, or the like) takes place through the emptying orifice of the diaphragm. The emptying orifice may be formed by a connection piece integrally molded onto the diaphragm or by a separate hose. Because, on one hand, the direction of force of the vibrating diaphragm on the liquid and, on the other hand, the connection-piece direction or hose direction are thereby essentially in the same sense, the liquid can quickly flow out completely under high acceleration at forces, without the water being thrown out of the diaphragm fold back onto the laundry in the laundry drum.

[0014] With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided the washing machine having one of the group consisting of a spin mode and a spin-drier, the washing machine including a diaphragm having a diaphragm bottom with a lowest point, the diaphragm connecting the housing orifice to the tub orifice and forming a feed duct to the drum orifice. The diaphragm has a substantially vertical emptying orifice in the diaphragm bottom at the lowest point between the tub orifice and the housing orifice, and the emptying orifice is free of obstruction for liquid for emptying the diaphragm.

[0015] With the objects of the invention in view, in the laundry treatment machine, there is also provided a connector duct including a diaphragm having a diaphragm bottom with a lowest point, the diaphragm connecting the housing orifice to the tub orifice and forming a feed duct to the drum orifice, the diaphragm having a substantially vertical emptying orifice in the diaphragm bottom at the lowest point between the tub orifice and the housing orifice, the emptying orifice being free of obstruction for liquid for emptying the diaphragm.

[0016] With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a connector duct for the laundry treatment machine including a diaphragm having a diaphragm bottom with a lowest point, the diaphragm connecting the housing orifice to the tub orifice and forming a feed duct to the drum orifice, the diaphragm having a substantially vertical emptying orifice in the diaphragm bottom at the lowest point between the tub orifice and the housing orifice, the emptying orifice being free of obstruction for liquid for emptying the diaphragm.

[0017] Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

[0018] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a laundry treatment machine, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

[0019] The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, partially perspective and partially En cross-sectional view of a detail of a front-loading laundry treatment machine according to the invention;

[0021]FIG. 2 is an alternative embodiment of the machine of FIG. 1; and

[0022]FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the machine of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a front-loading laundry treatment machine without, but, preferably, with, a spin mode. The machine could also be a spin-drier. The machine contains a preferably concertina-like diaphragm 2 that connects a front housing orifice 4 of a housing 6 to a front tub orifice 8 of a tub 10 and that forms a feed duct 12 to a drum orifice 14 of a laundry drum 16 that is rotatably disposed in the tub 10 about a horizontal axis of rotation.

[0024] An essentially vertical emptying orifice 22, free of obstruction for liquid (suds, water and the like), for emptying the diaphragm 2 is formed in the diaphragm 2 in the diaphragm bottom 20 at the lowest point between the tub orifice 8 and the housing orifice 4.

[0025] According to the drawings, the diaphragm 2 is preferably a concertina diaphragm having at least one diaphragm fold 24 having a Z-shape or S-shape in an axial cross-section. The emptying orifice 22 is formed in the fold bottom in a bottom wall 20 of the diaphragm fold 24.

[0026] The emptying orifice 22 may be formed by the upper end of an emptying hose or by an emptying connection piece 26 integrally molded or connected to the bottom wall 20 or in another way. The figures illustrate an emptying line 28 that extends away from the emptying orifice 22 downward and the upper end portion of which is formed by the emptying connection piece 26.

[0027] The emptying orifice 22 and, therefore, also the connection piece 26 extend essentially vertically downward on the upper end portion of at least 5 cm, their direction deviating from the vertical by preferably no more than 30°.

[0028] In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the lower end portion of the emptying line 28 has a first outlet 30 that issues below the laundry drum 16, but above an outflow orifice 32, into the tub 10, at the lowest point of which the outflow orifice 32 is formed. Furthermore, the emptying line 28 has, at its lowest end, a second outlet 34 that is connected to a suds outflow line 36 connected to the outflow orifice 32 and that issues into the suds outflow line 36.

[0029] The diaphragm 2 has a fastening portion 38 that is connected to the tub orifice 8 and from which extends upward a fold wall 40, the upper end portion of which projects into the drum orifice 14 and that delimits the fold interior 42 relative to the tub orifice 8. Additional horizontal emptying orifices 44 adjacent to the bottom wall 20 may be formed in the fold wall 40. The additional emptying orifices 44 connect the fold interior 42 horizontally to the tub orifice 8 to discharge liquid out of the fold interior 42 through the tub orifice 8 into the tub 16 below the drum orifice 14. These orifices, designated here as additional emptying orifices 44, are disclosed in the prior art. They are not absolutely necessary in addition to the emptying orifices 22 formed essentially vertically in the fold bottom 20, but may assist drainage from the diaphragm fold 24.

[0030] The further embodiments according to FIGS. 2, and 3 are identical to the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the exception of the features described in the following paragraphs and like reference numerals correspond to like features.

[0031] In FIG. 2, the emptying line 28 has only the outlet 34 at its lower end. The outlet 34 issues into the suds outflow line 36.

[0032] In FIG. 3, the emptying line 28 has at its lower end only the outlet 30 that issues into the tub 10 below the laundry drum 16, but above the outflow orifice 32. 

We claim:
 1. A laundry treatment machine, comprising: a tub having a tub orifice; a housing having a housing orifice; a laundry drum having a drum orifice and a horizontal axis of rotation, said laundry drum rotatably disposed in said tub about said horizontal axis of rotation; a diaphragm having a diaphragm bottom with a lowest point, said diaphragm connecting said housing orifice to said tub orifice and forming a feed duct to said drum orifice; said diaphragm having a substantially vertical emptying orifice in said diaphragm bottom at said lowest point between said tub orifice and said housing orifice, said emptying orifice being free of obstruction for liquid for emptying said diaphragm.
 2. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 1, wherein: said diaphragm is a concertina diaphragm having at least one outwardly curved diaphragm fold with a bottom wall having a fold bottom; and said emptying orifice is formed in said fold bottom.
 3. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 1, including an emptying line connected to said emptying orifice and extending away downward from said emptying orifice.
 4. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 3, wherein said emptying line has an outlet issuing into said tub below said drum orifice.
 5. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 3, wherein said emptying line has an outlet issuing into said tub below said laundry drum.
 6. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 3, wherein: said tub has an outflow line; and said emptying line has an outlet issuing into said outflow line below said tub.
 7. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 4, wherein: said tub has an outflow line; and said emptying line has an outlet issuing into said outflow line below said tub.
 8. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 1, wherein said tub orifice is a front tub orifice.
 9. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 1, wherein said housing orifice is a front housing orifice.
 10. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 1, wherein said emptying orifice deviates from vertical by no more than 30°.
 11. The laundry treatment machine according to claim 1, wherein said emptying orifice has an orifice axis disposed within 30° of vertical.
 12. A washing machine with one of the group consisting of a spin mode and a spin-drier, comprising: a tub having a tub orifice; a housing having a housing orifice; a laundry drum having a drum orifice and a horizontal axis of rotation, said laundry drum rotatably disposed in said tub about said horizontal axis of rotation; a diaphragm having a diaphragm bottom with a lowest point, said diaphragm connecting said housing orifice to said tub orifice and forming a feed duct to said drum orifice; said diaphragm having a substantially vertical emptying orifice in said diaphragm bottom at said lowest point between said tub orifice and said housing orifice, said emptying orifice being free of obstruction for liquid for emptying said diaphragm.
 13. In a laundry treatment machine having a tub with a tub orifice, a housing with a housing orifice, and a laundry drum with a drum orifice and a horizontal axis of rotation, the laundry drum rotatably disposed in the tub about the horizontal axis of rotation, a connector duct comprising: a diaphragm having a diaphragm bottom with a lowest point, said diaphragm connecting the housing orifice to the tub orifice and forming a feed duct to the drum orifice, said diaphragm having a substantially vertical emptying orifice in said diaphragm bottom at said lowest point between the tub orifice and the housing orifice, said emptying orifice being free of obstruction for liquid for emptying said diaphragm.
 14. A connector duct for a laundry treatment machine having a tub with a tub orifice, a housing with a housing orifice, and a laundry drum with a drum orifice and a horizontal axis of rotation, the laundry drum rotatably disposed in the tub about the horizontal axis of rotation, the connector duct comprising: a diaphragm having a diaphragm bottom with a lowest point, said diaphragm connecting the housing orifice to the tub orifice and forming a feed duct to the drum orifice, said diaphragm having a substantially vertical emptying orifice in said diaphragm bottom at said lowest point between the tub orifice and the housing orifice, said emptying orifice being free of obstruction for liquid for emptying said diaphragm. 